Bed spring



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Filed Aug. 9, 1945 Patented Oct. 18, 1949 BED SPRING Stephen J. Blaha, De Kalb, Ill., assignor to The Englander Company, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application August 9, 1943, Serial No. 497,911

9 Claims. 1

The invention relates to bed springs and the general aim of the invention is to provide a new and improved bed spring in which the resilient action of the structure is enhanced and the use of materials made critical by the present national emergency is minimized.

An object of the invention is to provide in a bed spring construction embodying a plurality of spaced vertically arranged coil springs and a plurality of laterally or horizontally arranged smaller helical springs, new and improved means extending between the coil springs affording adequate anchorage for the helical springs, said means being quite flexible and resilient in opposition to the compressive forces exerted on the structure in use.

Another object is to provide new and improved means for securing the lower ends of the coil springs to wooden cross rails on the frame.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l shows in plan View a corner section of a bed spring embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows in cross section the details of assembly of one of the coil springs, the section being taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding substantially to Fig. 1 but showing a different arrangement of the various elements of the structure.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a bed spring illustratingva modied form of means to which the coil springs are connected.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale more clearly illustrating the form of the anchor means for the small springs shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 shows on an enlarged scale a modied form of the anchoring means.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specilc form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings, the present invention is illustrated as being embodied in a bed spring structure which includes a bottom frame 2 angle iron. A plurality of large coil springs Il are supported on the frame with the axes thereof extending vertically. These springs are usually arranged in longitudinally and transversely alined rows, the outer rows being supported directly by the bottom frame I0. The intermediate rows are supported on transversely extended cross rails I2 herein shown as extending transversely of the frame.

Because of the shortage of critical materials and the limitations imposed on the use thereof, the cross rails in the present instance are formed of wood. The coil springs may be easily and effectively anchored in the wooden cross rails by providing a pair of bores I3 for each spring to be secured to the cross rail, these bores being spaced longitudinally of the cross rail and extending horizontally therethrough. The bores are dimensioned and arranged to permit the lower turn of a coil spring to be threaded first through one bore and then through the other. The relationship is such that this lower turn is slightly distorted whereby its resiliency secures the spring iirmly to the cross rail.

The upper surfaces of the coil springs are located on substantially the same horizontal plane, which plane is the upper surface of the bed spring structure. A border wire I4 extends continuously about the upper turns of the outer rows of the coil springs and is suitably secured thereto as by clips I5.

Each square formed by four joining coil springs is diagonally traversed by spring means connected to the upper turns of these coil springs and lying substantially on the horizontal plane thereof to exert their forces crosswise of the axes of the coil springs. As herein shown, this spring means for each diagonal arrangement is composed of small helical springs I6 connected one to the upper turn of each coil spring. Heretofore these helical springs were connected at their adjoining ends to a common sheet metal strip extending between adjoining rows of the coil springs. Thesestrips were usually formed of thin gauge sheet metal and, although somewhat resilient, added little to the weight supporting resiliency of the spring system as a whole.

Instead of such strips, I have provided new and improved anchoring means for the adjoining ends of the helical springs which uses much less metal than the strips and possesses substantially greater inherent resiliency. This means as herein illustrated comprises a pair of wires II and I8 bent to substantially the same pattern and I0 of the usual rectangular form fashioned of 55 connected together in reversed relation by such crosswise of the line of force exerted thereon by" such spring. Inward bends are provided in the wire to receive the securing ties I9 without slipe page.

respect to the longitudinal center line of an anchoring unit. l

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, each oftliewires I1 or I8 has at regularly spaced intervalstther-ein inward bends and 2| preferably of generally. V-shapedA conguration. When.y the pair. of..vwires` is. assembled in.reversed relation, the apexes-of these V-shaped bends are opposed and prov-ide seats for the connecting ties I9. As will ber-noted in` Fig. 1, the V-shaped bends 20 and 2|.- are so arranged that one bend, in this instancethe bend 2l,- is located approximately at; the center of the ligure dened by four coil springs, while the other V-shaped bend 20 is located betweenfan adjoining pairl of coil springs in-one-ofthe rows. The helicalspring receiving portions of the wires are designated 22 (Fig. 5) and are formed,l at theI endsof the V-shaped bendsA 2|' by reversely bending the wire upon itself, as-.at- 23. The reverse bend 23 ends in a second reversebend 24- from which the wire slopes' outwardly substantially to the point Where the'next V-shaped'bend 20 begins. It will bei-noted that the reversebends 23 and 24 togetheriorm an S-shaped curve in the wire which increases itslatera'l resiliency.

While only one section of one wire has been described, it will be understood that the pattern of the bend is repeated throughout the lengths of both wires of the anchoringunit.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, the wires off the anchoring unit are bent to a somewhat differentpattern. In this form, the pairof wires 25"and26r extend for'the most part in substantially parallel relation. In the portions thereof which will be located near the center of the iigure' defined by four' coil springs, the wires 25 andi26- arev inwardly bent, asat 2'I, at twoV rather closely spacedl points. These inward'bends provide'seats" for'connector ties 28.l Between these points 21, the wires have an'arcuate form, as at 2.9; which is outwardly convex providing portions 30 adjacent to the ties 28' for" receiving the ends of the helical springs I6.

In the formv shown in Fig. 4', the pattern of thebends issomewlfiatv like that of the wires in the anchoring device of Fig; 6 in so far as it includes spaced` parallel wiresv 3| and 32 having closely spaced inward bends 33 for' connecting ties-34. The wire between the inward bends 33, however, has a deeper inward bend, as at 35; which increases thel resiliency of the anchoring unit at this point' and sharply defines the helical spring receiving portions 36.

The bed spring illustrated in Fig. 3' has a somewhat diffrent arrangement of elements therein from that shown in Fig` 1. In this arrangement the frame I0, the coil springs II and the border wire I4 are as previously described, except that the coil springslof one row are stagi- The terms outward-Wandinwardf are herein used to express the directionof bendwvith.

gered with respect to the coil springs of the adjoining rows so that the springs are closer together along lines extending diagonally of the frame. In this arrangement, the coil springs in alternate rows are supported by wooden cross rails I2 and those of the intermediate rows are supported by diagonally extending cross wires 3'I arranged to intersectbelow'the coil springs of the intermediate rows.- Such coil springs are suitably connected to the cross wires at the point of intersection.

Asy in the previously described form, the helicalsprings I6 are arranged to extend diagonally of@ the figure.` formed by four adjoining coil springs.v Thefanchoring unit in this instance is shown'.y as having. the same form as the form of Fig. 1,Y but the units are arranged on lines diagonally of the frame and extend in both diagonall directions. The pattern of the bends of these anchoring units is so dimensioned that the outwardbends 23 on the intersecting units coincide to theextent that -the crosswise extending portions 22A thereof are disposed jointly to receivethe end of a-helical spring. The connecting ties II)y at the: inward V-shaped bends. ZI intersect. In this arrangement, the helical springs are doubly anchored to two interconnected anchoring units and the resiliency of both units acts in conjunction with each of` thev helical springs.

In each of the patterns of anchoring units heretofore described, the ends of the units .may if desired -be connected directly with theborder. wire by small helical springs'38 as shown in Fig. 3; Alternatively, however, the ends of the anchor units may terminate inwardly of the border wire by simply severingY the'wires outwardly beyond one of the connecting clips as shown in Figs. 4 and 6; or by cutting the wires approximately aty the return bends 24l in the forms shown in Fig, 1. In these instances, the cut ends of the wires would'be bent to provide an amply secure connection with the adjacent tie or ends of the helical springs.

From the foregoing it will be evident that a bed spring construction has been'provided which embodies simpleand eiective means for securing the springs of the system in proper relation to each other. In each form, the wire portions perpendicular to the lines of force of the helicalf'springs and the securing clips are close together so that' the anchoring device has ample strength where needed to resist the pull of the helical springs. Otherwise, the flexibility and Iresiliency of the wires' are notimpaired. The anchoring/means through its resiliency increases the effectiveness ofj the spring system. The ef'- iicient arrangementv of e, pair of wires bent to the same pattern makes possible the production of these units at a relatively low cost andthe use of relatively smalll gauge wire instead of a metal strip effects a substantial saving of metal.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. A bed spring structure having,v in combina'- tion, aV series of coil springs, a plurality of helical springs for exerting Itheir forces crosswise of certain coil springs, anchoring means forsaid helical springs including la pair of `elongated members arranged to extend 'between rows of said coil springs for direct separable connection with said helical springs, and means at' longitudinally spaced points in fixed' position on said members for connectingrv said?r members together against separation,- said members having b'entportions thereon-for connection withIsaidhelicalfsprin'gs which extend substantially crosswse to the lines of force exented by said helical springs.

2. For use in a bed spring structure having a series of coil springs and a plurality of helical springs for exerting their forces crosswise of certain coil springs, anchoring means for said helical springs including a pair of elongated members adapted to be arranged to extend between rows of said coil springs for direct connection with said helical springs, said members having bent portions thereon for connection with said helical springs extending substantially icrosswise to the lines of force adapted to be exerted by said helical springs, and means loc-ated adjacent to the helical spring receiving portions of said members for connecting said members against lateral separation.

3. In a bed spring, an :anchoring device for Ithe crosswise extending helical springs thereof having, in combination, a pair lof wires bent to the same pattern and arranged reversiely and in spaced relation to each other, each of said wires having longitudinally spaced bends providing portions for engagement with said helical springs extending crosswise of the lines of force exerted by said helical springs, each of said wires having longitudinally spaced oppositely directed bends, and means seated in the last mentioned bends connecting said pair of wires.

4. An anchoring device for the crosswise extending helical springs :of :a bed spring having, in combination, la pair of spaced Wires, each of said wires having longitudinally spaced V-shaped bends directed inwardly with respect to the other wire, and means engaging the apexes Iof said V- shaped bends for connecting said pair of Wires in spaced relation, each of said wires having oultwardly directed bends iat the ends of certain of said V-shaped bends for engagement by said helical springs.

5. An anchoring device for the crosswise extending helical springs of a bed spring having, in combination, a pair of wires, each of said wires having longitudinally spaced V-shaped bends directed in assembly toward the other wire, and means seated in said V-shaped bends for connecting said wires in spaced relation, each of said Wires having oppositely directed longitudinally spaced bends at the ends of certain of said V- shaped bends for engagement by said helical springs, said last mentioned bends being so dimensioned and arranged that when a plurality of said devices are arranged in overlapping end relation in the bed spring the helical spring engaged portions thereof register for joint engagement by said helical springs.

6. An anchoring device for the crosswise eX- tending helical springs of a bed spring having, in combination, a pair of spaced wires each having pairs of closely spaced bends extending in assembly toward the other wire, and tie means seated in said bends for connecting said pair of wires in spaced relation, each of said wires between the pairs of bends having an outwardly convex form providing points of attachment for said helical springs.

7. An anchoring device for the crossWise extending helical springs yof a bed spring having, in combination, ra pair of spaced wires, each of said wires having pairs of closely spaced bends extending in assembly tow-ard fthe other wire, and tie means seated in said bends for connecting said pair of Wires in spaced relation, each of said wires between the pairs of bends having deeper bends extending in the same direction as said pairs of bends, said pairs of bends and said deeper bends providing therebetween points of attachment for said helical springs.

8. An anchoring device for the `crosswise extending helical springs of a bed spring having, in combination, a pair of spaced wires each having longitudinally spaced bends therein arranged in assembly to extend toward the otherl wire, tie means engaging said bends for connecting said pair of wires in spaced relation, and other bends in said wires arranged in assembly to extend outwardly and increasing the resiliency thereof and providing points for the separable connection of said helical springs thereto, certain of said tie means being located adjacent said last mentioned bends.

9. In a bed spring system having crossWise extending helical springs, intersecting anchoring means for said springs arranged to extend transversely of the spring system along intersecting lines comprising, in combination, elongated wires connected in spaced pairs, each pair of Wires having bends therein providing points for connection with said helical springs, said bends being so dimensioned and spaced as to coincide at intersections of said anchoring means.

STEPHEN J. BLAHA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 114,112 `Crandall Apr. 25, 1871 190,633 Smith etal. May 8, 1877 507,057 Baker Oct. 17, 1893 1,433,230 Reidenbach Oct. 24, 1922 1,698,863 Way Jan. 15, 1929 2,240,517 Raduns May 6, 1941 2,315,543 Piliero et a1 Apr. 6, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 243,076 Great Britain Nov. 23, 1925 416,455 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1934 490,609 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1938 

